Food labeling

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Food label guide for candy

Food label guide for whole wheat bread

Read food labels

(Page 2)

Cholesterol terms:

• Cholesterol-free
  • Less than 2 milligrams cholesterol per serving and 2 grams or less saturated fat per serving.
• Low-Cholesterol
  • 20 milligrams or less cholesterol per serving and 2 grams or less saturated fat per serving

Sodium terms:

• Sodium-free
  • Less than 5 milligrams sodium per serving
• Salt-free
  • Meets requirements for sodium-free

HEALTH CLAIMS

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves and regulates health claim phrases. A health claim is a food label message that describes the relationship between a food or food component, such as fat, calcium, or fiber, and a disease or health-related condition.

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The government has authorized health claims for these seven diet and health relationships that are backed by extensive scientific evidence:

1. Calcium and osteoporosis

2. Fat and cancer

3. Fiber-containing grain products, fruits, vegetables and cancer

4. Fiber-containing fruits, vegetables, and grain products and coronary heart disease

5. Fruits, vegetables and cancer

6. Saturated fat and cholesterol and coronary heart disease

7. Sodium and high blood pressure ( hypertension)

An example of a valid health claim you may see on a high-fiber cereal product food label would be: "Many factors affect cancer risk; eating a diet low in fat and high in fiber may lower the risk of this disease."

For further information on specific health claims refer to the information on diet and health.

INGREDIENTS

Food manufacturers are required to list ingredients in descending order by weight (from the most to the least). People with food sensitivities can obtain useful information from the ingredient list on the label.

The ingredient list will include, when appropriate:

• Caseinate as a milk derivative in foods that claim to be nondairy (such as coffee whiteners)
• FDA-approved color additives
• Sources of protein hydrolysates

Most manufacturers offer a toll-free number to answer questions about specific food products and their ingredients.

FOODS EXEMPT FROM FOOD LABELING

Many foods do not have information on them. Some foods are exempt from food labeling. These include: